Training social initiations to a high-functioning autistic child: assessment of collateral behavior change and generalization in a case study.
The present case study used a multiple treatment design to assess the effects of two interventions--peer social initiations and target child initiations--on the social and disruptive behavior of a high-functioning autistic child. Intervention included initiation training and videotaped feedback highlighting successful and unsuccessful initiations. During Interventions 1 and 2, nonhandicapped peers were trained to initiate social interaction with the autistic child, resulting in an increase in social interaction which dramatically decreased in a reversal phase. Social interaction quickly increased again in Intervention 3 when the autistic child was trained to initiate interaction using the same procedures. During Interventions 1 and 2 no decrease in the autistic child's disruptive behaviors was observed; however during Intervention 3 these behaviors decreased to a low rate. Social validation, generalization, and maintenance of these behavior changes are discussed.
Oke
N J
NJ
Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
Schreibman
L
L
D001288:Attention; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004519:Education, Special; D005260:Female; D005793:Generalization, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment